Last updated on July 17th, 2022
If you love eating grapes, then it should not come as a surprise that several animals also love eating grapes. However, I did not know that certain animals could prove to be a danger to vineyards.
During a recent visit to a vineyard, I discovered that the owner took several steps to protect the vineyards from pests like raccoons, skunks, and badgers.
When I started discussing this with the owner, he told me that several animals are attracted by grapes.
Here are 10 animals that eat grapes:
- Badgers
- Skunks
- Possums
- Deer
- Squirrels
- Lemurs
- Cockatiels
- Raccoons
- Chipmunks
- Guinea Pigs
Like humans, they too love eating ripe grapes and can significantly destroy a harvest. This got me thinking about such animals, and I compiled a list of animals that love to eat grapes.
List of animals that eat grapes:
1. Badgers
Badgers are omnivorous creatures and have a plant and animal-based diet. They are excellent diggers, and several species of this animal can even climb trees.
In most cases, badgers will consume the grapes that have fallen on the ground.
However, some of these can even climb the trellises around the grapevines and consume the fruits on the lower branches.
The sweet-smelling grapes can attract badgers in groups, and they can harm a vineyard significantly unless steps are taken to protect the vineyard.
One of the ways to protect a vineyard from badgers would be to build fences around the trees to prevent them from accessing both the trees and the fruits.
2. Skunks
Skunks have voracious appetites, and they can consume different types of fruits and berries.
These creatures can quickly identify the sweet smell of ripe grapes and attract hordes of skunks.
Owners of vineyards often take steps to protect their harvest from skunks by installing motion sensors and bright lights to frighten the creatures.
Sometimes you will find the floor of vineyards strewn with peels of citrus fruits like oranges and lemons.
This prevents skunks from reaching the trees as they are deterred by the smell and taste of citrus fruits.
Sometimes mothballs dipped in ammonia can also be used to prevent skunks from entering a vineyard.
3. Possums
Possums are marsupials, and they are also known for their voracious appetite.
While talking with the owner of the vineyard I visited, I discovered that possums could also prove to be a threat to the grapes and the vineyard as a whole.
These creatures not only eat ripe grapes but can also consume the younger plants and seedlings.
A possum attack can prove dangerous for any vineyard owner as these creatures can easily climb the trees and snuggle in a grapevine for many hours.
They are also quite skillful in climbing smooth surfaces like fences and trellis. Thus, to protect the harvest from possums, vineyard owners use bone fertilizers and netting.
4. Deer
Deer are known to be attracted to both grapes and the grapevine. Owners of vineyards often complain that deer have consumed the tree leaves and even fruits on the lower branches.
In most cases, deer are attracted to the fruits that fall on the ground.
But when it comes to grapes, deer are known to pluck the fruits from the lower branches and consume these.
Therefore, the only way to protect your harvest from an attack of deer is by installing fences.
In addition, deer will get attracted to grapes during the harvest season when the fruits ripen. Thus, owners need to take special care to protect the vines during the harvest season.
5. Squirrels
Squirrels are known to consume all types of fruits and berries. However, they are known to consume grapes primarily during winter.
Grapes are rich in carbohydrates and are pretty high in calories. The swift-moving squirrels need to consume food with high calories to keep the fat content of their body intact.
Research shows that one cup of grapes has nearly 104 calories. This makes grapes an attractive food for consumption by squirrels.
If you have a pet squirrel, you can give it grapes as a part of its regular food.
Grapes are also rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin K, making the fruit suitable for squirrels. In addition, it helps the squirrels develop a robust immune system.
Here is a further explanation for squirrels eating grapes.
6. Lemurs
Lemurs, especially the large ones, are known to be herbivorous.
This means they have a plant-based diet and prefer consuming various fruits, flowers, and nectar.
Sweet-tasting fruits are often attractive to lemurs and they are known to consume not just fruits but also smaller plants.
When bred in captivity, lemurs are often given grapes as a part of the daily diet.
Lemurs are primates, and they can survive on a varied diet.
When they are bred in captivity, they need to be provided with an adequate amount of fruits that will help them build a robust immune system.
Thus, many experts suggest that when lemurs are bred in captivity, they can be given grapes as this fruit is full of vitamins and minerals.
7. Cockatiels
Cockatiels are known to enjoy a varied number of fruits including citrus ones like lemons and oranges. If you have a pet cockatiel, you can give it grapes.
But it is essential to cut the fruit into small pieces before giving it to your pet and to feed them in moderation.
Grapes can often contain pesticides, and hence, it is vital to wash the fruits thoroughly before you give them to your pet cockatiel.
Another thing that you must remember is that the fruits contain seeds. Therefore, it is important to remove the seeds before giving them to your pet.
This is necessary to remove any chances of choking. As a part of their daily diet, grapes can also be given to cockatiels to help the creature build a robust immune system, like lemurs and squirrels.
8. Raccoons
Raccoons are opportunistic omnivores, and they love to eat sweet fruits like grapes.
They can consume all types of sweet-tasting fruits, and grapes are often the creature’s favorite.
Raccoons are also quite persistent creatures and have an excellent sense of smell.
Therefore, they can easily find the ripe grapes before they start emanating the sweet smell. Raccoons can also easily climb the vines and fences around the trees.
Thus, a raccoon attack can reduce the harvest of a vineyard significantly.
To protect the trees, owners of vineyards have to make special efforts to install sprinklers, motion sensors, buzzers and electric sensors.
9. Chipmunks
In the wild, chipmunks are omnivores. However, when chipmunks are bred in captivity or kept as pets, giving the creature a varied diet is essential.
For example, chipmunks can be given grapes, which can be a supplementary part of their regular diet.
But you will need to remove the seeds and ensure that you cut the fruit into pieces before giving it to your pet.
This can help the chipmunks becomes stronger and have healthy bones. Grapes have an excellent quantity of vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates.
These are necessary to build strong bones and a healthy immune system.
If you include small amounts of grapes in the daily diet of your pet chipmunk, you can ensure that it gets a steady supply of minerals and vitamins.
